June 8, 2005
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office (NOAA) of the
General Counsel issued Notices of Violation and Assessment (NOVA) to four
recreational fishermen for their involvement in illegally selling fish to a
Baton Rouge seafood dealer on May 24 in violation of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
John A. Langlois, 40, of Baton Rouge, John Tabor Jr., 22, of Thibodaux and John
P. Hagmann, 44, of Prairieville, were each issued NOVAs in the amount of $5,000,
and George H. Donaldson Jr., 38, of St. Amant was issued a NOVA in the amount of
$5,500.
Alan P. Porche, 43, of Baton Rouge, previous manager of Gulf Island Shrimp and
Seafood LLC and owner of Big River Seafood Inc., was sentenced on November 4,
2004, to three felony counts of obstruction of justice, theft, and filing false
public records for his part in the fish transactions. Porche remains on
probationary status wherein a probation violation would result in a 20-year
prison sentence.
The sentences resulted from fraudulent financial transactions from illegally
purchased red snapper, cobia, reef fish and other state and federally managed
fish that were caught and sold by the recreational fishermen. Proceeds in the
scheme came from committing forgery and false records designed to generate
money, conceal and disguise the nature and source of the purchases, and avoid
reporting requirements.
Agents participating in the case were Lt. Jay Diez, Sgt. Billy Gomillion, Senior
Agents Buck Hampton and Joel Cromp, and NOAA Enforcement Special Agent Steve
Campbell.
For more information, contact Major Jeff Mayne at
jmayne@wlf.louisiana.gov or
225/765-2980.
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